The Sprout

The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley

Issue 148 June 2020

The Sprout

Issue 148, June 2020

Contents

3 Letters / Botley in Bloom

4 Botley Bridges

6 Latest from WWCC

8 Community Fridge

10 Planning Apps

11 Covid-19 infection

12 Rugby Club

13 Planning apps

14 Scouts Zoom into Action

16 Dean Court Development

17 World in a Jar

18 Ashmolean online

20 Carmen Caldera

23 Elderflowers

25 Randoms

28 LOCKDOWN SUPPORT

From the Editor

Although lockdown has eased a bit, we still aren’t in a position to deliver

a paper version of the Sprout, so this is our second online production.

I’m enjoying the chance to have bigger pictures and in colour, so it may

come as a surprise to find the front cover is in black and white. It shows

the Balch family, just one of the striking photos taken by Carmen Caldera

for her project to record locked-down Botley families for posterity (p20).

Other lockdown activities are: studying pondlife (p17); exploring the

Ashmolean virtually (p18); cooking with elderflowers (p23); delivering

food to the housebound (p8); supporting young families, especially ones

with babies born in the last two months (p4); and camping out in the

garden (or camping in in the sitting room) (p14). On page 11 there is an

article from a retired oncologist explaining how the virus is passed on,

and our end pages detail support available in Botley for everyone who

needs it. And just to remind us there is life beyond all this, good news

about the Community Land Trust’s project to develop some affordable

housing along the Eynsham Road – they will start building in the autumn

(p16). And on page 12 is a history of the Rugby Club at the end of North

Hinksey Lane, the oldest in Oxfordshire. There’s still time to comment on

the latest proposal to increase the height of the block of flats on the

corner of Westminster Way if you’re quick. Details on page 6. Happy

reading!

Ag MacKeith

Letters to the Editor

Good Old Co-op!

I’m sure I must be writing on behalf of many customers of our local

Botley Co-op when I say thank you very much to all the staff involved in

the deliveries they have been making these past few weeks.

The service is brilliant – well-organised, quick and efficient, and much

appreciated.

Well done everyone!

Brenda Bernau

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ROLL UP! ROLL UP!

Just 2 weeks left to enter your gorgeous

front garden into the BOTLEY IN BLOOM

competition. Is your neighbour too shy?

Why not give them a surprise and enter them

as well. They’ll thank you when they get the gong!

Closing date, 15th June, judging starts 22nd.

Winners announced by June 30th, if not before.

PRIZES FOR THE MOST PERFECT PATCH!!

3 CLASSES:

▪ BEST OVER ALL front garden

▪ BEST CAR BOWER

▪ BEST VEGETABLE ELEMENT

Show Botley you’ve got what it takes to give us a thrill. Post a

picture on our Facebook page to show how it’s coming along.

Perhaps you’ll find it’s there already – someone else may have

admired it too! To enter, just email name, address and category to

editor@thesprout.org.uk CREATIVITY AND INVENTION

REWARDED, AS WELL AS ALL THAT HARD WORK.

BOTLEY IN BLOOM 2020 – OUR LOCAL FRONT

GARDEN COMPETITION.

Botley Bridges during lockdown

Botley Bridges, the local family support service, has

been busy adapting our usual practice to continue to

provide services for families remotely during the

Covid-19 pandemic.

Our Coordinator, Hayley Hayle, has been doing

Facebook live, interactive story and singing sessions

twice a week from her shed. These sessions have also suggested

ideas for home learning including easy and cheap craft activities with

everyday household items. We have had fantastic feedback from

families:

“I've found these virtual sessions

so important in keeping the kids

connected and feeling part of the

community. All your activity ideas

have also helped keep them

happy and occupied. A really

valuable and important service.

Thank you.”

“Thanks so much for making this

easier”

We have been running two Zoom

Baby Groups a week for babies up

to one year old. Parents can sign

up for this, share information,

support each other and join in with

and learn songs suitable for

babies. We also include a

relevant baby topic during every

session such as Treasure Baskets, early language and communication

and looking after yourself. Botley Bridges also recognised that there

was a brand new set of families who would have given birth during the

lockdown period. But these families haven’t just missed out on the

professional support usually available to parents of a new baby, they

were also missing out on support from their families, due to social

distancing regulations. They must be feeling doubly isolated! So we

have joined in partnership with Wheatley’s ‘Maple Tree’, Donnington

Doorstep, Flos in the Park, NHS Health Visitors, Oxfordshire

Breastfeeding Support, Oxford Sling Library, Motherkind Café and

OXPI, and are running two weekly Zoom Baby Groups for babies born

since the 1st of March. These have been going for six weeks now, and

we have 59 families signed up from all over Oxfordshire.

Here is some of the feedback:

“It has been so isolating as a first time mum under lockdown – this

group helps me feel less alone, exchange tips and advice with other

new mums and build new friendships for the future.”

“I've always felt less alone afterwards. It's just been lovely to see the

faces of other new mums and babies. I have also found it a helpful

forum to share some of my challenges as a new mum.”

“As a new mum I have felt isolated and have found these sessions

invaluable. It is so lovely to see other mums and their babies. Everyone

is supportive of each other which really helps in this crazy time.”

“As we don't get to meet other new mums under lockdown it really is

reassuring to hear what everyone else is going through, to know you

aren't alone and what is normal for a baby your age. I've sadly lost both

my parents and my sister lives in Devon, so it's also a bit like extra

family support at this time, great to have the visiting specialists too from

OXPIP, OBS, sling library, etc – such a great help!”

During the stay-at-home period lots of people have been discovering

paths and walks that they didn't know existed. A couple of volunteers

have also been busy mapping walks in the local area*. These are now

available on the Botley Bridges website along with ideas for activities to

do on your walks.

For further information about any of the above, see our website,

www.botleybridges.org https://www.facebook.com/botleybridges/

is our Facebook page, or contact coordinator@botleybridges.org.uk

Sue Dowe

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*Seven Fields Walk On the subject of walks, can anyone shed light on

the route of this walk from North Hinksey to South Hinksey? We have

heard it was a popular Sunday walk before the A34 took over. Editor

West Way Community Concern

update – June 2020

Application to increase the height and number of flats in

residential block: Botley Development Company (BDC) have now

submitted their application for the changes to the plans for the

residential block, which they revealed to us at their public exhibition in

March. This block will be on the corner where the Co-op and Tesco are

now. See https://westwayconcern.wordpress.com/mace-consultation/

for the links to the exhibition panels. The application is P20/V0921/FUL

and can be viewed on the Vale planning website

We encourage you to make your views known via the Vale’s

consultation process. Comments can be submitted via the website, or

by email to planning@whitehorsedc.gov.uk. Public consultation is open

until 30th May. Comments can usually be received after the official

closing date, so please do comment if you can.

We had hoped to have paper copies of the documentation for people to

look at. However, given the lockdown, that has not been possible.

Summary of the changes:

• Under the approved plans, this building is to be 8 storeys high and

contain 120 flats. They now propose to add an additional storey and 30

extra flats. There would now be 67 1-bed flats, 82 2-bed flats and 1 3-

bed flat, increased from 51 1-bed, 68 2-bed and 1 3-bed flats.

• The height of the building will be increased by 1.5m, which will

make it 30.7m high in total, which is 5.4m higher than the completed

Premier Inn block.

• The additional storey has been accommodated within the

additional 1.5m by reducing the ceiling heights in all of the apartments.

The size of apartments has been reduced, increasing the proportion of

1-bed flats has allowed more flats in each storey.

• The developer proposes that 10 flats in Block E would be offered

as ‘affordable’. This is in addition to the £2m payment which they are to

make, in lieu of providing any affordable flats in the approved

development.

• There will be no increase in the number of car parking spaces on

the development, as the additional flats will be ‘car-free’.

• There is now just a single ground-floor cycle store instead of one

on each floor.

• The ground floor would be seven retail units plus one unit shown

as office/commercial.

Other documents

The application also includes supporting documents: Landscape and

Visual Impact Assessment; Transport Statement; Planning Statement,

Daylight and Sunlight Report, and Statement of Community

Engagement.

Planning policy

The application will be considered against the current planning policy,

which is contained in the Vale of White Horse District Council Local Plan

2031; Botley Centre Supplementary Planning Document; Design Guide

Supplementary Planning Document; North Hinksey Parish

Neighbourhood Plan; and the National Planning Policy Framework.

There is more description, documentation and planning policy on

https://westwayconcern.wordpress.com/resources/resources-2/

Our comments

We object to the increase in the height of the building. The

Supplementation Planning Document states buildings of “up to 8

storeys”.

• The development area is already over-developed.

• There is inadequate outdoor amenity space.

• The proposal that some of the flats could be sold as car-free is

not credible. It would be highly likely to lead to further parking on

local streets, unless a Controlled Parking Zone is put in place.

• A new Visual Impact Assessment is needed. It is not enough to

assert that the additional height will not have an impact.

• A single cycle store serving all 150 flats is unlikely to be secure.

It is not conveniently located for the entrance to the flats.

• The refuse stores are not conveniently located.

history of the campaign at westwayconcern.wordpress.com

Mary Gill

The Botley community fridge is now one of Oxford’s

three food parcel delivery hubs

Had you happened past the parking lot at the back of the new Seacourt

Hall on a Thursday morning, you’ll have seen lots of people making a

miniature city from boxes and bags of food parcels. The Botley

community fridge has, for the duration of the lock down, become one of

Oxford’s three main food parcel delivery hubs, and Thursday is our main

delivery day.

The April Sprout described how the community fridge had to move from

St. Peter & St. Paul’s church and become ‘virtual’ because of

Coronavirus. Shortly after that, the Seacourt Hall Management

Committee kindly offered us the use of the lovely new Seacourt Hall,

and Branches café lent us their refrigerator.

We then started receiving free pre-packed food parcels from SOFEA,

which is a brilliant Didcot-based charity that picks up surplus food from

wholesalers regionally, brings the food back to their depot, and gives

warehouse training to young people who would otherwise be excluded

from school. Each of their parcels contains ten items of non-

perishables (pasta, tins etc.) plus fruit and vegetables. To that we add

‘Botley bags’ of surplus food from Waitrose, Aldi, Magdalen Street and

West Way Tescos, the Oxford Food Bank, and donations from local

residents. The parish council kindly contributes toilet rolls.

We started ‘advertising’ the food parcels in late March, and in the first

few weeks we increased the number of recipients by about 50% each

week. It currently stands at nearly 200 households. In mid May, we

formally became one of Oxford’s three food parcel hubs, responsible for

everyone in OX1 and OX2. The other two hubs, Barton and Rose Hill,

are bigger than us and responsible for the rest of Oxford. We are the

only hub run entirely by volunteers.

The food parcels vary in size according to the number of people in the

household, and the contents depend on what is surplus in any given

week. We do not attempt to provide all the food a household needs, but

we do provide a good basis.

We soon found out that young families needed milk and nappies, and

that some people need incontinence pants. Happily, two Oxford

residents made large money donations – soon to be topped up with a

grant – which allow us to deliver these things on Mondays, along with

extra food for larger families. On Mondays we also deliver specialist

food: gluten free, FODMAP food for people with IBS, food for people

with no cooking facilities etc. We provide emergency food parcels five

days per week, and bike food to homeless people three times per week.

If you live in OX1 or OX2 and need a food parcel – emergency, weekly

or both – please email food@myphone.coop or preferably fill in the

form at https://forms.gle/ofPngUCzU8ER5FRD8. If you live in OX3 or

OX4 fill in https://forms.oxfordtogether.org/support-form.

The Botley community fridge’s food parcel operations would not be

possible without about 40 fantastic volunteers, and donations from

many people from the local community (including a regular supply of

much-appreciated home made samosas for our volunteers). If the

epidemic has brought about one good thing, it has been the heart-

warming surge of support between neighbours. Our volunteers not only

deliver food but also make sure that the food parcel recipients get other

support that they need, and in turn the Botley community fridge feels

wonderfully supported by the local community.

After this is all over, the plan is to maybe move to a ‘larder’ model,

where people become food club members and pick up their own food

parcels, possibly from the West Oxford Community Centre. In the

meantime, Thursdays have become the best day in my week – it gives

me a real thrill to see all of those parcels being packed with donated

food and going out in our volunteer drivers’ cars.

Riki Therivel

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LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS

P20/V1036/FUL

Black Horse House, Wallbrook

Court North Hinksey Lane. Minor

external alterations.

29 April

Comments: May

TDD: 24 June

P20/V1073/LDP 10 Chestnut Rd. Loft conversion,

extending hipped roof to form a

gable end & window alterations.

4 May

Target Decision

Date: 29 June

P20/V1138/HH 17 Yarnells Hill. Extend existing

ground floor extension to line of

first floor extension.

13 May

Comments 10/6

TDD: 8 July

P20/V1132/FUL 186 Westminster Way. Convert

existing separate garage into

habitable space for full time

rental.

21 May

Comments 16/6

TDD: 16 July

Botley and Kennington Patients Participation Group

An 80-year-old friend asked Dr Elaine Sugden (a retired consultant

oncologist) a number of questions about the spread of COVID-19. She

checked the latest information from various sources. Here is what she

said.

1. How likely is it that a person without any symptoms could infect

others? Very. A person who has the virus is infectious for 2--3 days

before showing symptoms. They are at the peak of 'infectivity' just after

symptoms start, and then gradually less so for up to 10 days or more.

And usually still infectious for a few days after the end of symptoms.

2. How is the virus mainly spread from one person to another? Spread

is either directly by coughing or sneezing, or by touching contaminated

surfaces – which is where the hand-washing routine comes in.

3. What is the likely outcome for someone who is infected by the virus?

Is it a child? The majority have either no or only very mild symptoms.

But, as with adults, there is a significant risk for children with underlying

health conditions to be very poorly. In a recent study in the USA, 80% of

children needing intensive care had underlying health conditions.

Is it a healthy adult? Good.

Is it a healthy old person? Less good, but still reasonable. As we age

our immune system is less effective (so cancers increase with age).

'Underlying conditions' which increase vulnerability are: diseases which

affect the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, nervous system, diabetes; serious

obesity; pregnancy; those having chemotherapy and some sorts of

radiotherapy for cancer.

4. What proportion of people who are infected require treatment or

Intensive Care in hospital? We don't know for the UK because in

general we don't know who has had the disease (most of those in the

community with symptoms have not been tested). In China it was

recorded that about 1 in 5 over 80s and 1 in 100 under 30s needed to

be hospitalised.

5. What is the rate of success of such hospital treatments? Half of

those in intensive care survive, but only one in three of those who need

ventilation (this is why medics clap someone who is able to leave

intensive care).

Not everyone goes into intensive care. If someone is known to be

already very frail and medical experience has shown that they will not

survive the ordeal, it is better not to go. Of course this may mean dying

at home, but they might well prefer that to dying in isolation in hospital.

The care home situation has been serious – hospitals were emptied of

all who were ready for discharge to make room for Covid patients. But it

appears that some of the elderly returning to care homes were infected,

though we can’t be sure, as they were never tested. The care homes

didn't know these residents were infected and anyway often didn't have

enough personal protective equipment, and so the other residents, far

from being shielded as was intended, were an opportunity for the virus

to spread unchecked. Sadly, of course, this also exposed the staff to the

virus and some of them, and even members of their families, have died,

as well as many care home residents.

Who we are: Botley and Kennington Patient Participation Group

consists of volunteers who are registered patients of the Botley Medical

Centre and Kennington Health Centre. Our main aims are: to promote

the well-being of patients and to facilitate positive and effective two-way

communication between the practice and its patients.

Sylvia Buckingham (Chair), Chris Sugden (Secretary)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oxford Rugby Club – historic sporting venue

Oxford Rugby Football Club, situated down the far end of North Hinksey

Lane, is the oldest rugby club in Oxfordshire by some distance. It was

formed in 1909, following a meeting at the old Clarendon Hotel in

Cornmarket Street, where the Gap store now stands. The founding

member, Alfred St George Hamersley, played in the first ever

International rugby match for England against Scotland in 1871, and he

remained as President for twenty years.

The club was called the Oxfordshire Nomads: ‘Oxfordshire’ because

there were no other rugby clubs in the county, and ‘Nomads’ as it never

had a home ground and played on several grounds as the years went

by. This accounts for the Nomadic figure in the club’s badge.

But all this changed in 1947. The Club President, Mr RB ‘Bunny’ Cole, a

local solicitor, negotiated the sale

from Wadham College of a plot of

land just off the Southern Bypass

beyond North Hinksey Village. The

rugby club could not afford to run

the ground alone, so Oxford Sports

Ground was formed to include

cricket, hockey, rugby, tennis and

archery. The photo shows Bunny

Cole at the official opening of the

ground in May 1950, with the Mayor

of Oxford, Mrs F M Andrews. At this

time the Oxfordshire County Union was refused entry to the national

County Championship because it was not strong enough. To raise

standards, it was suggested that local clubs send their best players to

the club, from which a county team could be selected. After much

discussion this idea was accepted and to facilitate this the club agreed

to change its name to Oxford RFC, thus reflecting the city. The name

‘Nomads’ was kept for the Second XV to preserve the club’s past.

In 1969 the rugby club found itself in a position to buy the assets of the

Oxford Sports Club, as its sister sports had financially fallen by the

wayside, and in that year the rugby club became the sole owners of the

ground. Since that time the club has improved the facilities with two

squash courts. It became the first club in Oxfordshire to provide

floodlights on the First XV pitch.

In 2009 the club celebrated 100 years with many varied activities and,

ten years on, provides rugby for two and sometimes three senior men’s

teams and a senior ladies’ team, all playing in the national league

structure. On Sunday mornings the premises are a lively hub for much

younger players, as the mini and junior sections run separate teams

from Under 7 right through to Under 16 years of age.

Today the clubhouse provides a warm and comfortable bar with a

separate lounge and a large hall with kitchen used for meetings and

after-match dinners. It is an ideal facility for outside hire for parties,

wedding receptions etc. Why not come along and sample the happy

atmosphere for yourself?

Richard Tyrrell

Scouts Zoom into Action

Young people from the 4th Oxford Scout Group have been continuing to

meet on weekday evenings using Zoom. The leaders sent Beavers

packs of materials to

use for activities this

term. They have been

completing their

health and fitness

badges, as well as

celebrating the

anniversary of VE day

and planting seeds in

yoghurt pots to work

towards their

gardeners’ badge. The

Cubs have been

learning semaphore

(and learnt that flags

at arm’s length don’t

fit within the video

screen!). They’ve also

been making short

stop-motion films. The

Scouts’ packs

included such things

as maps, a compass,

electronic parts to

build a Morse code

buzzer, and the parts

to build mini

‘pioneering’ structures

like bridges and

towers.

The Scouts also received bingo cards, with each ‘number’ being a

picture of something needed for survival in the wilderness. Interestingly,

bingo has featured before in the group’s history: our accounts show that

a large part of our fundraising when we built our hut in the early 1970s

was from regular bingo nights. We’d be interested to hear from anyone

involved who can remember them.

Over 90 young people

in the group took part

in a world-wide

#CampAtHome event

on the night of 30th

April. Everyone slept

somewhere other than

in their bed: dens

were made in living

rooms, tents put up in

gardens (and

indoors). The leaders

lit a virtual campfire

with all sections

joining one enormous

Zoom call in the early evening. Much fun (and not much sleep) was had

by all. Over 95,000 young people from 68 countries took part on the

same evening, to make a new world record.

James Wynne

Oxfordshire Community Land Trust

Since we last contacted you, we've seen the world change as a result of

the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that the situation will be affecting our

members and our wider community in Oxfordshire in different and

challenging ways, particularly around their housing security. Our

solidarity goes out to you all. For this reason, we also hope that the

important role that Community Land Trusts can play in rebuilding

our housing system is recognised, and the progress we've made can

be built on in recovery planning. Despite the lock down, we have news

to share of our progress on the exciting Dean Court housing

development. Here is an artist’s impression of what we plan to build.

It involves eight affordable homes for rent in an area with an acute

shortage of affordable housing on the edge of the City of Oxford in the

Vale of White Horse District Council. We can reveal that we are

currently appointing contractors and, whilst the Covid situation may

bring delays, we hope to be commencing building work on site in

Autumn. Watch this space for more updates.

Are you from the Dean Court area and on Vale District Council's

Housing Register (find out more)? You might be eligible to move into our

new development – get in touch.

We've been following the National Community Land Trust's arguments

about how, whilst house building may help support economic recovery, it

is vital that these homes are affordable and in community ownership

(read the article here).The good news is that the Government has finally

acknowledged the contributions of land trusts to local communities and

the call for further investment (read more here).

Fran Ryan, Director

Lockdown Life

What have people been doing during lockdown? Emma Gordon has

been studying nature. Ruth Cameron has been absorbing culture,

Carmen Caldera has been taking photographs, and your editor has

been picking elderflowers. How about you?

A World in a Jar

How have you been spending your lockdown days? I had a happy time

recently in the company of my four-year-old son and a big jar of pond

water. Isolation and the slower pace of life let me marvel at the minutiae

of things that I had scarcely registered before.

Overnight, the murky water

settled to crystal clear, and an

ecosystem of fascinating

characters was revealed.

Initially it was the tadpoles

which caught our attention, but

then there was the whirligig

beetle. Surprisingly, it was the

water snails who turned out to

have the most personality. The

longer we watched (magnifying

glass in hand), the more

fascinated we became by the

tiny creatures zipping back and

forth.

As we studied the action, it

became clear that the surface

of the water – the meniscus –

has a very real presence in the

everyday lives of these aquatic

dwellers. Did you know snails

can slither along the underside

as if it were a polished floor,

and that the malicious, hairy looking mosquito larvae anchor themselves

into it?

I was surprised that it was not more of a dog-eat-dog world in there. I

kept expecting the tadpoles to eat the sludge worms or the water

hoglice to gobble up the mosquito larvae. But mostly they all avoided

each other. In fact the most sinister residents turned out to be one of the

smallest and most fascinating. The water hydra – tiny green plants, less

than a millimetre long, who capture prey in their hair-like tendrils and

ingest them through what could be the top of their heads! Fascinating to

my young companion (and to me too, it must be said)

A most serene and satisfying afternoon was spent drawing and

identifying these characters, and we were sad when the time came to

pass them on to our friend to populate his pond. We had grown fond of

our temporary guests. But the insight into the plethora of dynamic

animals and plants that live in what I had thought of as nothing more

exciting than a murky, smelly pond will remain with me long after

lockdown is over!

Emma Gordon

The Ashmolean at your Fingertips

So: Lockdown continues, and our favourite museums and galleries

remain closed. But there is hope. Oxford's own Ashmolean has

prepared an online Pandora's box of

treats to please a variety of tastes.

Predictably, the site concentrates on

Young Rembrandt, the Museum's Spring

feature, open for scarcely a month before

the premature closure. However, the Staff

have compiled a series of thematic

presentations which bring the Dutch

Master into your own home. They begin

with a 7-minute video introduction by the

Curator. I really appreciated the video's

brevity: these things can be unbearably

long. The Curator gives a vivid picture of

Rembrandt from a hesitant, blemished 18-

year-old starting his career in 1624, to international prominence at 28,

when the Exhibition ends.

These thematic presentations include his early formative years in his

home town of Leiden; the move to Amsterdam; descriptions of his

family; details of his particular interest and expertise in etching; the

innovative nature of his subjects, i.e., ordinary people doing ordinary,

even crude, things; the breadth of his scope, notably in his frequent

depiction of old age.

Having saturated yourself with Rembrandt, you've a choice in this

website of several other types of presentations. My first port of call was

looking at the feature on the Society of Wood Engravers, which is

celebrating its centenary this year with a comprehensive exhibition at

the Ashmolean. Sadly, lockdown arrived just before it was due to open.

Let’s hope we can see it in person later in the year. In the meantime,

you can explore a clear and concise explanation of what wood

engraving is, a hands-on introduction to having a go at it yourself, and

illustrations of stunning work from previous SWE exhibitions.

Besides specific exhibitions, the museum continues in its ambitious

project to catalogue its entire Collection on line. Thus far, they have

managed to include 131,500 pieces of work: paintings, ceramics,

sculpture. You choose a category, click onto whatever catches your

fancy, and up comes factual information about your choice.

Possibly my favourite section in The Ashmolean Online is their Stories.

These are refreshingly brief but sufficiently detailed accounts of a

particular work, or type of activity. For example, at the moment there

are features on working at home in wartime China in 1943, contrasted

with contemporary Oxford artists' lockdown experiences...or you might

prefer to refresh your memory of Last Supper in Pompeii, with several

lively pieces on offer, including a video of Heston Blumenthal's

instructions on how to make carbonised bread.

Finally, for anyone wanting something more hands-on, there are two

activities: Artists in Residence, a competition whose theme is your

reaction to lockdown. There are three age-related entry groups and a

wide variety of media is invited. The deadline is July 31st.

Even more innovative is Isolation Creations, an ongoing compilation of

your reactions at home to particular artworks at the Ashmolean which

they are posting on Twitter. Some early examples of creative results are

displayed on their website. Why not have a go yourself?

Ruth Cameron

Carmen’s Coronavirus Project

My name is Carmen Caldera,

and I was born in Spain in 1970.

After a what seemed like a

lifetime as a lawyer, I moved to

England in 2014, and in Botley I

found a new home, new friends

and a welcoming community.

Not wanting to work as a lawyer

any more, I turned to my old

passion for photography, and it

keeps on growing. I take

hundreds of photos, learning all

the time. What drives me is a

desire to identify in my photos

the beauty and sweetness of

life.

I have started a project to

photograph the people of Botley

on their doorsteps during the

Covid-19 lockdown. I created this project so that, in the midst of so

much pain, there would also be a nice memory for all the confined

families. And I chose black and white as a sign of respect for the victims

and to give a more serious touch

to a moment like this. When I

have finished, I will print the

photos in an album, and donate

it to Botley library as a historical

memento.

After the pandemic is over, I

would like to work as a

professional photographer and

make my dreams come true.

If you would like me to take your

family’s photograph, please

phone me on 07884

055393.Thank you very much.

Carmen Caldera

This is Carmen (below), and here are a few more of her family portraits:

Jez and Fiona Marshall (bottom left), Richard and Adam Evans-Lee and

their dog, Chico (bottom right) and the Clay family (opposite).

On the previous page we saw Simon Chorley and Aquila Mavalankar

(upper) and the Edens family (lower).

Elderflowers

Elderflowers are one of the miracles of Nature, and 2020 is a good year.

They are all around us right now. Pick them when they are creamy-

yellowy with pollen for the best taste. Here are some topical recipes.

Elderflower Cordial – perfect for hot weather!

You will need:

• 25 Elderflower panicles

• I kg granulated sugar

• 50g citric acid

• 2 or 3 sliced lemons

• scant 2 litres of water

Put them all in a bucket or bowl, cover it and stir off and on for three

days, then strain and refrigerate – lasts about ten

days in the fridge. Dilute to serve, add ice cubes.

The Long Hello

Having made your cordial, you could use it in

this exciting cocktail.

• a measure of Calvados

• a measure of cordial

• dash of bitters

Dust off the cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Pour in the ingredients

and shake them all together, strain into a cocktail glass and top up with

cremant or any other sparkling wine (champagne, for instance!). Grate a

little nutmeg on top as a finishing touch.

Elderflower Sorbet

You could also use your cordial to make this refreshing sorbet. Just

freeze a suitable quantity of neat cordial, stirring it now and then. When

it’s getting stiff, whisk up the whites of a couple of eggs till they are a

dense froth and stir them gently in, then put it back in the freezer till it is

quite solid. Serve garnished with a sprig of mint.

And, easiest of all Elderflower fritters

Pick your panicles with six-inch stems for this.

Make a thick pancake batter, and heat an inch of oil in a pan until it is

good and hot. Check the elderflowers for insects, then dip them into the

batter, give them a shake, and press them into the hot oil. Twirl them

round to spread them out. When they look crispy, take them out and

dredge them with sifted icing sugar. Delicious!

Finally, if you’re making gooseberry jam, don’t forget to add a couple of

elderflower heads (or a splash of cordial). It makes all the difference!

Ag MacKeith

Randoms

Fears for Kennington Health Centre

Our local Patients Participation Group has expressed concern that the

Kennington Heath Centre was closed without warning at the end of

March. It has been transformed into a Coronavirus Clinic, providing

patient care during the crisis for people with suspected Covid-19

infection.

This means that, for the duration of the crisis, people in Kennington no

longer have a local health centre. Unfortunately there has been sparse

communication from Botley & Kennington Medical Practice, and the

opportunity to liaise with Kennington patients via the PPG has been

missed. The PPG is worried that once the crisis is over they may find

they have lost their local surgery permanently.

When they asked the Practice how the Health Centre would reopen

(expecting to hear that it would be duly disinfected and reopened as

soon as possible) there was no reply. Consequently they fear the worst

– that they will find when the crisis is over that their local health centre

was another coronavirus casualty. They have written to Layla Moran

explaining how vital the health centre is to the residents of Kennington,

and seeking her support to ensure it stays open. They have enlisted the

support of local parish councils as well, and invite Botley residents to

get in touch with the PPG if they are experiencing knock-on effects with

the increased take-up at Elms Road.

These are strange times, we can all agree, and we have every

sympathy with our local practice as it tries to hold the line under huge

pressure. But the whole point of Patient Participation Groups is to give

doctors a way of relating to their patients as a group. Let us hope that

the Botley & Kennington Medical Practice finds a quiet moment in the

whirlwind to reassure the PPG that they will not let the Kennington

Health Centre go to the wall.

Mixed Feelings about Hinksey Heights Nature Park

It is clear that the Hinksey Heights nature park is suffering from too

much attention. Sprout readers will be aware that it has become a very

popular place for local families with children during lockdown, but the

effect of heavy foot traffic on the elderly boardwalks was punishing. A

large part of the problem was the mountain-bikers. The board walks

were not designed for this kind of use, hence the No Cycling signs.

John Brimble, one of the directors, was seriously thinking of closing it,

but was persuaded by a chance meeting with Ruth Vaughan and her

family, that this would be a shame. Instead, he advertised on Botley

Notice Board for some help to get the boardwalks repaired, and found a

whole team of willing volunteers. The work is now under way. Well

done, everyone, for finding this creative solution!

And now local residents in Stanton Road have got in touch to say they

are suffering from the park’s popularity. Dodgy activities take place there

at night (the police are investigating), there have been problems with

seriously bad behaviour and some villains have made off with the

painted stones that gave so much innocent pleasure. It is so crowded

that it’s hard to maintain social distancing, and it doesn’t feel as safe

and pleasant as it used to.

Hopefully, now that lockdown has eased a bit, and some of our children

are back in school, the pressures will be less. But please be aware of

the problems and spread your visits more thinly. As for the bikers, let us

hope that the burly volunteers repairing the boardwalks will take the

chance to talk to them and suggest they go further afield.

North Hinksey Plant Stall

Thank you to all who supported the North Hinksey Village Green plant

sales for the NHS Oxford Masks appeal this last month. Over £1200

has been raised so far from the sales of flower and vegetable plants.

Thank you to those who brought plants to contribute to the sale. There

are plenty of tomatoes of different varieties left. The plant trolley is out

on the Green daily.

Sian Lewis, Sally Prime, Chris and Elaine Sugden, Josie Webber

Washable face masks

Hi all! I just wanted to thank you for helping me raise £1000 for NHS

Charities Together! Since lockdown is starting to come to an end I am

reopening for curtain and alteration needs from 1st June, so please

contact me. I am still raising money for the NHS. You can buy my cloth

face masks for £6, just message me via Nextdoor North Hinksey. A

pound from every sale goes towards NHS Charities Together. Nasrin

Parish Clerk

The Parish Council would like to thank the outgoing Clerk, Colin Ryde,

for his hard work over the last couple of years, and to welcome Sharon

Henley, Parish Clerk for Leafield, who will be doing the work in locum for

the next three months, while a replacement for Colin is found.

Fenland Regeneration Group

Every second Sunday each month, between 10am and 3pm, volunteers

are working on the Hinksey Heights Fen Restoration Area, an

internationally important Priority Habitat, to help regenerate small wild

wetland flowers. The Hinksey Heights fen is one of several around the

city including the ones in Hutchcomb Copse and Raleigh Park. If you

would like to volunteer with the Hinksey Heights group – at a Social

Distance of course! – contact sally.gillard17@gmail.com tel. 07950

558609 or emayhew@freshwateerhabitats.org.uk tel. 07894 036363

Botley in Bloom

Here is the form if you don’t have email. Send it to Ag MacKeith, South

View, Old Botley, OX2 0JR.

Closing date is June 15th.

Botley in Bloom 2020

I would like to enter the Botley in Bloom competition

Name (please print)………...…………………………………….

Address ………………………………………..….………………..

Contact details: email …………..…………….. phone ………………

Please tick relevant category

Category 1 (Overall best front garden)

Category 2 (Car bower)

Category 3 (Vegetable element)

COVID-19

Community Hub website and Botley Responders

For all you need to know for local and national support during the

lockdown visit the COVID-19 community hub page on the parish council

website: https://northhinksey-pc.gov.uk/covid-19-community-hub/

The hub includes sections on how to get support, medical and

prescription services, food deliveries and shop opening details, how to

stay connected, keep fit and stay mentally healthy, council services,

financial advice, how to volunteer and things to do for all the family.

The Things to do Section includes ways to safely enjoy the outdoors

plus online exercise, art and crafts like Artweeks online, music, free

online learning, a local weekly pub quiz and much more. Stay fit, learn

and enjoy while supporting your local small businesses.

The hub also has links to our list of Botley Responders – over 50

volunteer street coordinators who represent their roads, providing

information and support, setting up local street WhatsApp and email

groups, delivering leaflets, helping with shopping and friendly phone

calls to make sure no-one is cut off even if they have to self-isolate. A

huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help in their street

and to put the resources together for the website.

We still have some streets without representatives and other volunteer

opportunities so if you can help please email

BotleyResponders@gmail.com Please check the web page regularly

as it is kept continually up-to-date. Lorna Berrett

The Sprout

The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley

Dir e ctor s : Jan e t Ba r tlam , Jud i Bol d er, Joh n Cle m ents ,

Mi c h ael C ock m a n, A g Mac K e ith , Rob i n Pal m er

Editor

Ag MacKeith

South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk

Advertising Manager

Michael Cockman

50, St Paul's Crescent OX2 9AG Tel: 07766 317691 Adverts@TheSprout.org.uk

Del i v eri e s

Bhee Bellew and Robin Cox

15 Seacourt Road, OX2 9LD Tel: 790648 Deliveries@TheSprout.org.uk

Copy Date: Copy by 15th of month preceding publication. Earlier submission is

welcome. Later contributions may have to be held over to the next issue.

Advertisements: If you have print-ready advertisements in the correct format the last

day for booking advertising is the 10th of the month preceding publication; in all other

circumstances more advance notice will be needed. For details about exact sizes,

quality requirements, advice on text and help with production, please contact the

Advertising Manager.

Advertising rates:

½ page: 1 issue £56; 3 issues £135; 5 issues £182; 10 issues; £308

¼ page: 1 issue £28; 3 issues £67.50; 5 issues £91; 10 issues; £154

1/8 page: 1 issue £14; 3 issues £33.75; 5 issues £45.50; 10 issues; £77

Subscriptions: If you live outside North Hinksey Parish you can still receive The

Sprout on a regular basis. Just take out a postal subscription – only £10 per annum,

delivered to your door. Contact: Carol Kramer 01865 243002.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this

newsletter, mistakes may happen. The Editor and Team apologize unreservedly for any

errors that may occur and will do their best to correct them. This publication is not a

vehicle of the parish council, and parish councillors working with the Sprout do so in a

personal capacity. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual contributors.

All concerned in the production and delivery of The Sprout are unpaid volunteers.

The S pro u t is ( nor m a lly ) pri n t ed b y Da t a pri n t Lt d , an d i s pu b lish e d

by N o rth H ink s e y Pa r i sh P u blic a tio n s Ltd , (a c omp a n y l i m ite d b y

gua r a nte e ) Reg i s tra t i on N o . 0 5 6 095 3 5 .

It c a n a l s o be f ound onli n e at Botl e yHin k sey. o rg. u k